MacWorld conference continues to carry the torch

When Apple decided to stop exhibiting at MacWorld people wondered what would become of the show. Five years on, the show is still going strong in San Francisco, with tons of Apple-related hardware and software on display.

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MacWorld/iWorld 2014 still going strong

Though it's been five years since Apple was in the official lineup of show attendees, vendors from all over the world still display their wares at the biggest Apple themed event in San Francisco's Moscone Center.

The show doesn't command the excitement or foot traffic it did in years past, but there's still plenty to see.

MacKeeper

Among the many vendors, MacKeeper had a big booth close to the middle of the floor. The folks running the exhibit were very friendly while showing people how to clean and protect their Macs, but I don't think the MacKeeper robot was impressed with my CNET credentials at all.

Personal thermal imaging

FLIR, the personal thermal imaging case mod for the iPhone 5, was doing demonstrations for people as they walked the show floor. I talked with them briefly and they said the device would be available in a couple months and would cost about $350.

RefurbMe tracks your refurbs

When buying a computer from Apple, you have the option to buy a refurb model at a lower cost, but it's not always going to be exactly what you want. With the RefurbMe app on your iPhone, you can enter the specs you want, and the app will send you an email when a computer that matches your specs becomes available.

Join The Challenge (for your health)

Another app that caught my eye was Join The Challenge (also known as JTC). This app helps you make the right food choices by assigning red, yellow, and green colors (green being the most healthy) to food items. The app then helps you track your eating and exercise habits to help you lose weight and stay in shape.

Spin the wheel and win

One of the most popular exhibits at the show was run by Square Jellyfish, a vendor that makes stands, cases, tripods, and mounts for iOS devices. The company had a wheel where attendees could take a spin and win free stuff. If you look closely, you can see the line trailing off behind them.

Talks on the show floor

Though most of the official talks had already happened Wednesday and Thursday, there were two stages set up on opposite sides of Moscone North with scheduled discussions about various topics throughout the day.

Double Telepresence Robots

Double Robotics was letting people control its robots on the show floor. These robots, which retail for $2,500, let you virtually visit a location and control the robot using your iOS device. It was pretty impressive, but also a little creepy.